Travel Light: The railroad edition

Saturday

This is the twelfth in a weekly series of articles featuring day trip destinations. The series appears in The Record Herald every Saturday throughout the summer.

LANCASTER COUNTY — If you or someone in your family is a train aficionado — railfan — there are several places to go to check out the engines or ride the rails.

Head east about two hours from Waynesboro to the Strasburg area of Lancaster County.

Strasburg Rail Road

Strasburg Rail Road (301 Gap Road, Ronks) is the nation's oldest operating railroad with a charter dating back to June 9, 1832.

First used for passenger and freight transportation as an interchange with the Pennsylvania Railroad, the short line ran for more than a century until 1958, when, on the verge of abandonment, it was made a tourist railroad.

Strasburg has five working steam engines and 19 operating passenger cars, including the President’s Car, first-class parlor car and a dining car.

Plus, there are special trains and events that are featured from time to time.

In fact, a Norfolk & Western Class J 611, which chugged through Franklin County earlier this week, will be at Strasburg for a series of fall events.

The railroad offers a variety of trips, including dinner trips and murder mystery events.

Each ride takes you through Amish country to the town of Paradise and back. But don't expect to make the 5-mile trek in quick time. The trains move at 20th-century speeds appropriate for massive steam engines, so plan of 45 minutes of riding round-trip.

Tickets are $15.50 to $26, depending whether you want a premium, dining car or general accommodation. You can purchase tickets in advance online (a good idea to ensure there is space) at www.strasburgrailroad.com.

If you have kids or grandkids, consider Strasburg's special train ride, Day Out with Thomas, which takes kids on a 20-minute ride on America's favorite little blue Thomas the Tank engine.

Thomas has a 0-6-0 wheel formation and was built by Porter Co. in 1917. Acquired by Strasburg Rail Road Company in 1998, the locomotive was extensively remodeled to resemble the storybook character.

The next Thomas rides are offered Sept. 14-22 or Oct. 25-27. Prices vary depending on package you choose. Visit www.strasburgrailroad.com for packages and information.

The Strasburg Rail Road is open daily. Visit the website for a complete schedule and train offerings.

Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania

Located adjacent to the Strasburg Rail Road (300 Gap Road, Ronks), is the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania offers one of the most significant collections of historic railroad artifacts in the world.

The museum features about 100 locomotives and cars from the 19th and 20th centuries from several commonwealth-based railroads and manufacturing companies, including the Pennsylvania Railroad Historical Collection.

Many of the locomotives are accessible so visitors can imagine what it would have been like to board them back in the day.

Even those who aren't into trains will be in awe of how big they are when you are standing right next to them and seeing a whole bunch under one roof is truly amazing.

Collections range from massive steam locomotives to track tools to tiny pieces of dining car china, as well as a collection of photos from railroading across the state.

You really can't imagine the size of this place until you visit.

Hours are Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. Tickets are $10 for ages 12 and older; $8 for ages 3-11; ages 2 and under are admitted for free. For more information, visit rrmuseumpa.org.

Choo Choo Barn

When you are finished checking out the big choo-choos, it's time to check out the little ones.

The majority of trains on display are O Gauge trains, although there are some HO Gauge and an N Gauge train as well and include Lionel, Mike's Train House and K-Line on Gargraves track.

The attraction began in 1945 in the basement of George Groff and his family, with Groff and his son setting up a $12.50 Lionel set.

As these things tend to happen, one train purchase led to another and the track soon overtook the family's basement and its popularity among family, neighbors and friends led the Groffs to search for a bigger space for their colleciton.

In 1961, the Choo Choo Barn opened and remains in the family.

The Choo Choo Barn is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $8.50 for adults and kids 12 and older; $5 for children 3-11. Those who visit on a "Thankful Thursday" will be admitted for free with the donation of at least one non-perishable food item per person such as canned meats, peanut butter, cereal, pasta, fruit and rice. The donations will be given to local food banks. Upcoming Thankful Thursdays are Sept. 5, Oct. 3 and Nov. 7. For more information, visit www.choochoobarn.com.

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